She showed that hunger is biological – and reshaped obesity

For decades, obesity was framed as a question of willpower. Through rare patients, missing hormones and bold clinical experiments, Sadaf Farooqi helped to prove that biology regulates appetite. Her work has transformed obesity science, enabled new treatments and challenged the stigma faced by people living with obesity. That shift is what the EASO–Novo Nordisk Foundation Obesity Prize for Excellence 2026 recognises.